Long ass decanting

V

VLM

VLM
So, you often see people recommending very long decanting times for older wines, especially Barolo.

I've never understood that and have never had "magical" results when I've tried it (albeit not many times).

Does anyone know the reasoning behind this and whether there is any science that would make sense of it?
 
Have you tried to pop and pour 1971 Marcarini Brunate lately ?!?
 
originally posted by VLM: Long decanting you often see people recommending very long decanting times for older wines, especially Barolo.

I've never understood that and have never had "magical" results when I've tried it
Click to expand...

Nathan, I'm with you.

It is risky with long decanting as you can miss the essence (or whatever essence is left) of a great wine. And once it's gone, it's gone forever.

I'd much rather have the wine before it gets (more?) tired and, if necessary, let it develop in a swirled glass.

. . . . . Pete
 
I think those advocates of "long ass decanting" are 't decanting per se. They are just pilling the cork and pouring out a bit to expose "more" to air. How this fails to stir up sediment is beyond me.
 
originally posted by VLM:
Long ass decantingSo, you often see people recommending very long decanting times for older wines, especially Barolo.

I've never understood that and have never had "magical" results when I've tried it (albeit not many times).

Does anyone know the reasoning behind this and whether there is any science that would make sense of it?
Click to expand...

The idea, as I understand it, is that older wines with intact enclosures will often be quite reductive; the decant is intended to remove the "bottle stink" by slow oxidation of the reductive odors. For my own part, I rarely give anything a long decant. I'm much happier with a slow oxygenation, periodically sampled, with a possible decant if needed.

I propose a scientific study of this phenomenon through an opening of a statistically valid sample of properly stored '71 Baroli. Anyone willing to collaborate on this investigation?

Anything in the name of science!
Mark Lipton
 
There's old wine and then there's old wine.

When "old" means fragile, failing, declining, spent in all but form -- then you want to drink it immediately upon opening because it won't last long. I've had wines turn tasteless or, worse, acquire the pong of deathly oxidation, within mere minutes.

When "old" means hermetically sealed in tannins and acidity, just never before opened -- then you might wait half a day for the wine to show all it's got.

(As Maureen says, usually it just means to pull the cork and give the wine a little elbow room, not whirl it in the MixMaster.)
 
The latest issue of Decanter (not online as far as I can see) has an unusual and convoluted article about length of decanting times. It uses three different vintages each of Lynch-Bages and Schafer Hillside Select and tastes decanted bottles against those just opened (ie. not decanted) at several stages: immediately, one hour, two hours and four hours. Results were mixed and conclusions unclear...it seems some people prefer some wines at different stages, sometimes decanted and sometimes not. Quite funny to read.
 
A common problem is that the integrity of the particular bottle(s) of wine cannot be known until the wine is opened and sampled. If it is opened way early and found to be more evolved than expected, then it will likely be subpar when ultimately served.

. . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

A common problem is that the integrity of the particular bottle(s) of wine cannot be known until the wine is opened and sampled. If it is opened way early and found to be more evolved than expected, then it will likely be subpar when ultimately served.

. . . . . Pete
Click to expand...

(Petit) dejeuner avec vin would solve that problem, n'est-ce pas?
 
Old nebbiolo is sort of a special case. I've never had one overdecanted or fail to get (significantly) better until the very last sip. I decant them well in advance if I can, and if I can't I usually end up wishing I had when the last sip is best. I don't do this for anything else.
 
originally posted by maureen:
I think those advocates of "long ass decanting" are 't decanting per se. They are just pilling the cork and pouring out a bit to expose "more" to air. How this fails to stir up sediment is beyond me.
Click to expand...

A careful decant worked wonders for the 55 Borgogno riserva last month. The old Barolo stink blew off fairly quickly. Though, I admit that the decant didn't qualify as "long ass".
 
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
Old nebbiolo is sort of a special case. I've never had one overdecanted or fail to get (significantly) better until the very last sip. I decant them well in advance if I can, and if I can't I usually end up wishing I had when the last sip is best. I don't do this for anything else.
Click to expand...

Keith is absolutely right. I've experienced this on several occasion, the most recent less than a month ago, with old Barolo from the 60s. Opening and decanting 61s, 64s and 67s for a couple of hours is totally the right thing to do. It's fucking magic and defies logic.

Peter and VLM, I wouldn't think of doing this with any other red.
 
I've had very few old Bordeaux that weren't better after sitting in the glass for a half hour. Though I'd guess that doesn't qualify as long ass.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top